Beloved Lion Killed By Trophy Hunter In ‘harrowing Echo’ Of Cecil The Lion’s Death In 2015

A lion that was being tracked by Oxford University researchers successful occidental Zimbabwe has been killed by a trophy hunter, successful what 1 wildlife campaigner called a ‘harrowing echo’ of Cecil nan Lion’s decease successful 2015.

Blondie, a tourer favorite, was hunted down aft being lured and baited retired of Gwayi Conservancy, adjacent Hwange National Park, according to nan Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting (CBTH), an defense statement based successful nan U.K.

While lion hunting is not forbidden successful Zimbabwe, Blondie’s sidesplitting was because he was nether nan country’s minimum property of 6, according to Eduardo Gonçalves, nan organization’s founder.

“Blondie was a father, a leader, a nationalist treasure, not a plaything for a rich | Westerner pinch a gun,” Gonçalves said. “Governments must enactment now.”

The beloved feline was killed successful precocious June but his decease only began to garner world attraction successful nan past week.

Some 10,000 lions person been changeable by trophy hunters successful nan past decade, according to CBTH, which said African lion populations person declined by much than 90% successful nan past century.

A vigil for Cecil nan Lion successful London successful 2016. Cecil was killed by American dentist and trophy huntsman Walter Palmer successful Zimbabwe successful 2015.Daniel Leal / AFP via Getty Images file

The safari institution Africa Geographic sponsored nan GPS collar that was fitted connected Blondie.

Africa Geographic’s CEO, Simon Epsley, said nan statement was “dismayed and angered” astatine nan killing.

“That Blondie’s salient collar did not forestall him from being offered to a hunting customer confirms nan stark reality that nary lion is safe from trophy hunting guns,” he said.

Collars are utilized to way nan animals, limit wildlife-human conflict and support conservation.

Zimbabwean rule allows a maximum of 100 lions supra nan property of 6 to beryllium hunted each twelvemonth successful nan country, wherever safaris and large crippled hunting are important sources of income.

A spokesperson for nan Zimbabwe Parks Agency, nan authorities hunting regulator, denied that Blondie’s sidesplitting had surgery nan rule because he was older than 6.

“This allegation that these group are saying nan lion was little than 6 years? We don’t cognize that. Was location immoderate DNA which was taken to beryllium that nan lion was little than 6 years? The reply is decidedly no,” Tinashe Farawo told NBC News.

This declare was backed up by Michael Blignaut, co-owner of Victoria Falls Safari Service, nan institution allegedly down nan sidesplitting of Blondie.

“Unfortunately astatine this clip I cannot comment,” he told NBC News via nan WhatsApp messaging service. “I wanna guarantee you nan hunt was done ethically and it was legal.”

The personality of nan hunter, who presumptively paid thousands of dollars to termination nan lion, has not been released.

But Farawo denied that thing forbidden happened, and said these sorts of hunts paid for conservation efforts.

Born Free, different U.K.-based defense group, has expressed interest for Blondie’s pride, saying nan destiny of its 3 female partners and a number of cubs was “seriously successful doubt.”

In 2015, Minnesota dentist Walter James Palmer sparked outrage erstwhile he admittedly killed Cecil nan Lion aft paying $50,000 for nan experience.

At nan time, Palmer said he had nan correct permits, worked pinch section guides, and had nary logic to mobility nan legitimacy of nan hunt until aft it was over.

Zimbabwean authorities charged Theo Bronchorst, a master huntsman who allegedly took Palmer connected nan hunt, but later dropped them. Cecil was besides being tracked by researchers astatine nan University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit.

After nan worldwide outrage caused by Cecil’s killing, Zimbabwean authorities vowed to ace down connected trophy hunting — but unit groups opportunity it hasn’t worked.

Mark Jones, Born Free’s caput of policy, said that that small has been learned since Cecil’s death.

“The very truth that they lure lions retired of nationalist parks suggests that location are nary lions remaining successful nan hunting areas for them to hunt, reflecting nan monolithic harm to lion populations that trophy hunting is doing,” Jones said.